Troubled minds and desperate times
by in.the.city.of.angels
Summary: There's a new girl at school, but is she friend or foe? And this time has Harry fallen a little to far in? Dumbledore is still with them and Ron & Hermione are hiding a secret. PLS R
1. At the Weasley's

**Sorry, this chapter's not very good, but the next chapter is better and so on, so please please read and review! Thanks.**

**Title**:_ Trouble Minds and Desperate Times_

**Main Characters**: _Hermione, Harry, Ron, Draco (in later chapters), Jasmine, and a few others_

**Summary**: _There's a new girl at school, but is she friend or foe? And this time has Harry fallen a little to far in? Dumbledore is still with them and Ron & Hermione are hiding a secret._

**Spoilers**: _Everything. _

**Other: **_Set in the 7th year. Dumbledore is still alive and Harry is forcing himself further and further into the ground. Will the new girl pull him out? Or will she step on his head! The first few chapters are quite short, but then they get longer._

**Disclaimer: **_If you recognise it, it's because it isn't mine._

_

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**Chapter 2**

**At the Weasley's**

After Mrs. Weasley was done fussing with Harry, Ron and him went upstairs. Once the two boys were safely in Ron's bedroom he turned suddenly and said, 'You will never guess who's coming to Hogwarts!'

Harry gave Ron a puzzled look, 'Urm… who?'

'Only Jasmine Bailey!' Ron said with such excitement and hand gestures that he knocked over Harry's broom.

Harry frowned. He hated not having wizard guardians. 'Look here!' Ron said, throwing a _Daily Prophet_ into Harry's lap.

He picked it up and read the page it was open at; it read 'Miss Bailey to join Hogwarts.' And there was a picture of a girl that Harry thought looked rather too done up. She had long peroxide blonde hair and a lot of eye make- up. 'Who is she?' Harry asked, though not really caring.

'She's this really famous model!' Ron said, 'and she's the same age as us so she'll be in our year!'

Harry smiled weakly. To be honest he didn't even know that there were wizard models. 'Look, read here, apparently she knows Hermione from some boff club, isn't that great?' Ron continued.

He, Ron, didn't seem to notice that Harry hadn't answered and carried on until Mrs Weasley called them down to dinner.

Harry was relived when two weeks later Hermione arrived. No one seemed capable of talking about anything apart from Jasmine.

Unfortunately Hermione's arrival only sparked more conversations. Although Hermione was slightly irritated about how Ron wouldn't stop talking about how pretty she was. 'Oh, really Ron, don't be so shallow. She's actually incredibly bright,' Hermione looked annoyed and ran her fingers through her hair, which to Ron's great amusement, she found very difficult.

By the end of the holiday Harry had a feeling he was not going to like Jasmine. And he knew that going to Hogwarts would only mean more talk about her.

Luckily by the time they had all filed on the train they found something else to talk about, Death Eaters. 'Well, I hear Caecilius Demoreo has joined Voldermort,' Hermione told them.

'No, I could have sworn he was innocent!' Ron replied, looking slightly worried.

'Just proves you can't trust anyone,' Harry said, rather too profoundly.

Ron and Hermione stared at him and then went back engrossed in conversation.

Harry looked dreamily out the carriage doors. Suddenly, a girl that Harry had never seen before walked past. She had deep brunette hair and foggy blue eyes, surrounded by jet black eyelashes. She seemed quite tall, but it may just have been the way she carried herself. She was already wearing her robes but somehow looked different to the other girls. Much prettier.

They all stalked into the grand hall and took their seats. Then Dumbledore stood up and everyone hushed. 'We have, of course, some new students this year. And I don't just mean the year 7's. As you may have heard from the _Daily Prophet _Jasmine Bailey will be joining us. She has already been sorted, and I can tell announce that she is in… Gryffindor!'

All the Gryffindor boys cheered.

'Before we get onto the sorting I would like to introduce your new defence against the dark arts teacher, Professor Powbin,' Dumbledore continued.

Professor Powbin was sitting in between Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore. At the mention of his name he gave a small wave. He was a tall man with short black hair and looked no older than twenty- five. This was very unusual for a Hogwarts teacher, as they were all quite old.


	2. The New Girl

**In this chapter you meet Jasmine and a little hint of a storyline for later (nota romance thing) a friendship that seems unlikely. Read on to discover what the heck I'm on about...**

**Title**:_ Trouble Minds and Desperate Times_

**Main Characters**: _Hermione, Harry, Ron, Draco (in later chapters), Jasmine, and a few others_

**Summary**: _There's a new girl at school, but is she friend or foe? And this time has Harry fallen a little to far in? Dumbledore is still with them and Ron & Hermione are hiding a secret._

**Spoilers**: _Everything. _

**Other: **_Set in the 7th year. Dumbledore is still alive and Harry is forcing himself further and further into the ground. Will the new girl pull him out? Or will she step on his head! The first few chapters are quite short, but then they get longer._

**Disclaimer: **_If you recognise it, it's because it isn't mine. I only own Jasmine and Salvius, and maybe one or two other characters._

**

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**

**Chapter 3**

**The New Girl**

After the feast the Gryffindors raced up to the common room. 'Fruit pastel,' Ron said to the Fat Lady and she swung open.

Sitting by the fire, reading _101 Useful Charms_, was the coal eyed brunette from the train. Harry's heart missed a beat. 'Funny, they only mentioned one new girl,' Harry whispered to Ron but he ignored him.

The girl looked up from her book, slightly startled at the people, mainly boys, trying to push through the hole. Hermione shoved past a very startled Neville. 'Jasmine, hi,' Hermione exclaimed.

Harry jaw dropped. _This_ was Jasmine. She looked nothing like that photo. Hermione rolled her eyes at the gawping boys, who were now standing in the doorway, and started to introduce Jasmine. 'This is Dean, and Neville, and Harry,'

Harry smiled, what must have been a very superficial smile because his insides were doing cartwheels, 'hello,' he said in a very unnatural, high pitched voice.

But instead of laughing at him or looking away in embarrassment; she looked at him. But not at his scar, like most people did when they first met him, no, right into his eyes. But, then quickly she looked away to the long line of people that Hermione was introducing her to. 'And this is Ron,' Hermione continued.

Ron smiled at her and said, in a very normal voice, to Harry's annoyance, 'Hi, I love your work, especially that photo that was in the _Daily Prophet_.'

Harry frowned. When has Ron ever been articulate around girls? Particularly girls as beautiful as Jasmine. 'You make me sound like an artist! Eugh and that blonde hair dye they made me put on!' Jasmine said laughing.

Ron laughed to. They all sat in the common room, questioning their newcomer. They sat for hours until the only people left were Jasmine, Ron, Hermione and Harry. The fire had long burnt out when Harry finally said. 'I'm going to bed.'

'Yeah, me too,' Hermione said, standing up.

'Me three,' Jasmine added.

'Hmmm… I guess so,' said Ron standing up.

They all wondered up to their dormitories. Harry and Ron got changed wearily, making slight small talk. Ron fell asleep quickly. Harry could tell from his snoring. Harry couldn't sleep. He could not get Jasmine out of his head. When he finally drifted off he dreamt about her. But not the way he was expecting to dream about her.

First, he saw a man he recognised as Voldermort but there saw someone else. "Salvius, you are loyal to me so I have returned to you what should have been yours. Funny how the person you wanted the most turned out to be perfect bait for the boy," Voldermort hissed.

Suddenly, Harry's view changed and opposite the two people was a girl hanging in mid- air. She seemed to be unconscious. Her brunette hair covering half of her heavily bruised face. Harry recognised the girl almost instantly. Jasmine.

Salvius took out his wand and shouted "coquit erante,"

Jasmine dropped to the floor with a thud. She lifted her head. Salvius's sunken eyes bore into her. "Crucio,"

She gasped, as if unable to scream. "NO!" Harry shouted.

He woke, his scare searing, the image of Jasmine fresh in his mind. "Harry, are you ok?" Ron asked.

Harry sat up and snatched his glasses from the table. The blurry figures came into focus. Dean, Seamus, Ron and Neville were all sitting up looking at him. "Yeah, I'm, er, fine. Bad dream, that's all," he replied.

They al made their way down to breakfast to find Hermione sitting on her own reading _The Daily Prophet _and shaking her head. "Where's Jasmine?" Dean asked.

"Didn't you hear? Last night she woke up screaming and clutching her wrist. She said something about it being a bad dream and that she didn't feel up to breakfast."

"That's weird… Harry, are you alright?" Ron said, peering at Harry.

Harry had gone paper white. His head was spinning. He tried to smile but felt himself shiver hot and cold. "Yeah, of…of course."

It's a coincidence. A simple coincidence. It had to be. Harry thought again and again, trying to convince himself. Then his mind wondered slightly. What had Hermione said about Jasmine clutching her wrist? He just managed to gulp down orange juice when Jasmine walked in. Her hair was tied back away from her face, and she looked pale, as if she'd just been sick.

Suddenly, Malfoy and his gang strutted up to her. Harry starred at what was happening, he couldn't hear what was being said but it appeared that Malfoy was trying to flirt with Jasmine! Both Harry and Ron were watching intently. Jasmine tried to walk away from him but Malfoy grabbed her arm. "Get off," Jasmine told him sternly, but he pulled her back.

Harry immediately stood up and charged over, "Let go of her!"

"Oh look, it's the hero!" Malfoy smirked, tightening his grip on Jasmine.

Something raged inside Harry and all of a sudden his clenched fist hit Malfoy so hard in the jaw that he staggered backwards. "You'll pay for that!" Malfoy spat.

He grabbed his wand and pointed it at Harry, "mercious cantici"

"Don't you d-"Jasmine shouted as Malfoy turned to her.

The spell hit her right in the torso. She was flung, spinning, into the Ravenclaw table. A loud scream was followed by the sound of china and cutlery being scattered across the room. Jasmine lay in the middle of the chaos, motionless. Harry, Ron and Hermione rushed over. "I'm going to get Madame Pomfrey!" Harry said over the racket and rushed out the hall.

When he returned, closely followed by Madame Pomfrey she bellowed, "EVERYONE OUT!"Harry, Ron and Hermione were left to explain what happened.


	3. Switched Interest

**Who is Jasmine? Where the heck did she come from? Why is she here and what does she want with Harry? All will be revealed... (R&R)**

**Title**:_ Trouble Minds and Desperate Times_

**Main Characters**: _Hermione, Harry, Ron, Draco (in later chapters), Jasmine, and a few others_

**Summary**: _There's a new girl at school, but is she friend or foe? And this time has Harry fallen a little too far in? Dumbledore is still with them and Ron & Hermione are hiding a secret._

**Spoilers**: _Everything. _

**Other: **_Set in the 7th year. Dumbledore is still alive and Harry is forcing himself further and further into the ground. Will the new girl pull him out? Or will she step on his head! The first few chapters are quite short, but then they get longer._

**Disclaimer: **_If you recognise it, it's because it isn't mine. I only own Jasmine and Salvius, and maybe one or two other characters._

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Switched Interest**

Harry spent all the spare time he had in the hospital wing. He would take his books in there and do his homework, making up various excuses, such as the fact that he felt responsible for what happened. But, to be honest he liked to watch Jasmine. It was perfect. He could spend as much time as he wished staring at her beautiful face without any questioning. She always looked so peaceful, and it was such a change from all the sympathetic looks he got in the corridors, all the groups of girls that would turn up where he was, only to giggle and run away.

Also, Harry would have liked to be the first person she saw when she woke up.

On the third day, she woke up. It was an unusual time for her to wake up, as it was one of the rare occasions when Harry, Hermione and Ron were together. She opened her eyes, he long, inky eyelashes flickering. She smiled when she saw them, "hey"

"Hi, Jasmine, I want to apologise for what happened. I shouldn't have got involved; you would have been fine without me. And plus, you wouldn't be lying here," Harry said, he had been practising for ages.

"Harry, don't worry about it. I choose to take it for you. And at least you tried," she replied, shooting a look at Ron.

She rubbed her eyes. "I'll go get Madame Pomfrey and see if you can leave," Hermione told them.

"Thanks,"

There was an awkward silence until Hermione rushed back to say that she was free to go.

They all wondered down for the Friday feast in the Great Hall. This was Jasmine's first feast at Hogwart's and the three friends were taking great pleasure in explaining what goes on. They all sat down and tucked in to the roast beef. "So what made you become a model?" Hermione asked, with an edge that, luckily, only Ron and Harry picked up on.

"Money, it's boring and pointless," everyone gave her side looks and a few of the boys looked disappointed, "what I really want to be is an Auror!"

Something inside Harry squirmed. She wanted to be an Auror, just as he did.

Dumbledore stood up, "Will all the seventh years stay behind,"

"I wonder what we've done now," Harry said as the other years strode out the hall.

"Maybe it's about you and Malfoy," Ron replied.

Jasmine sighed. "Now, as you may or may not know, it is tradition for 7th years to have a Boxing Day Ball, as a sort of goodbye. You will have already attended one from the Tri- wizard tournament," Dumbledore told them.

Harry flinched at the memory and he felt almost every eye in the hall on him.

"_Hogwarts _has the Tri- wizard tournaments?" Jasmine whispered to Hermione.

"You may all go to your dormitories," Dumbledore said and everyone rose.

They all filed out of the hall.

"The Tri- wizard tournaments, well, urm…" Hermione stuttered, not sure what to say.

"It's ok," Harry said, slightly nervous, "I'll explain."

They walked through the portrait hole. "Two years ago Hogwarts held the Tri- wizard tournaments," Harry continued to explain about how he'd been chosen and how he was put into the Goblet of Fire. And he even explained how Diggory had died. It was worth it thought. Her face, fascinated by what he was saying. Her eyes watching his hand movements and lips intensely.

Finally when the story was over they went up to bed.

"I'm thinking of asking Jasmine," Ron said as he climbed into bed.

"Huh?"

"To the ball, you know, ask her to go with me."

Harry's chest tightened. "What about Nada?" he croaked.

"What? Oh her, nah, I'm over her."  
"But, but, she really likes you. I don't think that Jasmine would…urm…well she…" Harry trailed off.

He couldn't help but feel guilty. If he did ask Jasmine out then he would be betraying Ron. This really wasn't fair. He would have to talk to Ron. But not now. Tomorrow maybe. He drifted off, while staging a conversation to Ron.

"Harry, Harry wake up!" Ron was shaking him quite violently.

"I'm up," Harry said, reaching for his glasses and Ron came into focus, "what's wrong?"

"Hermione's found something out; she's got something to tell you,"

"What s'up? Harry asked.

"This isn't funny, Harry," Hermione told him, "It's Jasmine."

"What's wrong is she okay?" Harry asked.

"_She's _fine. Just well. The thing is…" Hermione trailed off.

"Her dad's a death eater!" Ron said hurried, filing in Hermione's gap.

"And, we reckon she might be here on her dad's orders. Maybe, to ge-, for you"

"We think she might be some sort of Veela," Ron told Harry, with a touch of excitement that almost caused Harry to lash out.

Hermione frowned. "No, _you _reckon she's some type of Veela,"

"A death eater," Harry said, quietly, as if he was trying to get his head round it, "are you sure?"

"'Fraid so, Salvius Bailey is her father. I've read numerous books. There was even a picture."

"What's the time?" Harry asked.

"What? Oh, urm… it's six fifteen, why?" Hermione replied, startled.

"I'm going back to bed," he told them.

And before either of them could say anything, not that they were able to, he slumped off back up the stairs.

_At least I won't have to worry about the ball_.

Harry woke again at about eleven. As soon as he opened his eyes he felt the anger flood back. Getting out of bed, he pulled his clothes on. "Hey Jack, you seen Jasmine," Harry asked an unsuspecting 9th year.

"Have I!"

Harry's stare was hard and Jack shifted in his seat. "Oh yeah, she's on the field"

Harry stormed out without answering. He saw her sitting by the frozen lake, chucking stones into it. She heard his footsteps and turned round. "Hey! What's up?"

"Don't do that! I know all about your little plan!"

"Sorry?"

"You and your death eater father, plotting to kill me, you, you Veela!"

Jasmine's face changed. "HOW DARE YOU! You have no fucking idea! My supposed father, Salvius Bailey is a death eater. But he's also trying to kill me. He killed my mom. So, don't you come here accusing me of shit!"

She took a breath and looked up at him, "God, I liked you. I actually trusted you. Do you know what- no I guess you don't. Sorry if my dirty blood doesn't fit in with you and your posse."

And she walked off, she looked upset but there were no tears dripping down her face. "Jasmine, wait!"

"Not for you."

"Crap!" Harry swore kicking at the grass.

Why had he been so quick to judge? He'd really liked Jasmine. And he'd completely messed up. He couldn't believe how impatient he had been. Harry lay down on the frosty grass, unable to feel his feet.

"Harry, are you okay?"

Harry opened his eyes to see Hermione and Ron staring down at him. "Turns out she's not a death eater," he muttered.

"What? I looked through so many books! She must be, you know that I wouldn't tell you if I wasn't sure."

"Her father is Salvius Bailey. That same man killed her mother, and is also trying to kill her."

"Oh God Harry, I'm so sorry. No wonder she looked pissed."

"You saw her! Harry asked anxiously, "Was she okay? Did she say anything?"

"Well, we thought she was trying to kill you, so we weren't so keen on talking to her."

"But she seemed pretty upset," Ron added/.

"She liked you, you know."

"Huh?"

"She really liked you."

"Hermione I'm already down, why are you still kicking? We were friends."

"Boys!" Hermione said irritated, she fancied you Harry."

Harry sighed, "I was going to ask her to the ball."

"What! You knew I was going to ask her."

"That doesn't mean that you suddenly own her!" Harry snapped, "Anyway, it's not like it matters now."

"I, urr, better go find Nada," Ron said, rushing back up to the castle.

"Will you be okay? Hermione asked, turning to Harry.

Harry nodded.

"I'm going to go check on Jasmine. Just well… in case," Hermione said.

Hermione raced after Ron and into the dormitory.

* * *

Jasmine was rushing round the room, picking things off surfaces. "What are you doing?" Hermione asked.

"Packing," Jasmine replied, in a matter- of- fact tone.

"What? You're not leaving!"

"I'm sorry Herm, I really am. But, I guess I don't fit here," she laughed ironically, "I guess I don't fit in the heroic three."

"Jasmine, stop being stupid. You can sort this out. Harry feels awful about what's happened."

"Jesus! You just don't understand. You don't know what it's like to be judged entirely by your background, by your parenting."

"Are you taking the piss? I don't know prejudice? My parents are mudbloods. I bet you've never been called a mudblood."

"Better than death eater!"

"I'm sorry. I know I don't understand. But Harry does. Sirius died just like Ethan did. Please stay," Hermione whispered.

But Jasmine kept packing. "Fine, don't stay for me. At least stay for Harry."

"Stay for Harry!" Jasmine spat.

She picked up her case and walked over to the doorway. "Bye Hermione. I'm so sorry I couldn't stay for longer. I was very much looking forward to it."  
And she gave a false smile and left.

Harry decided to get up from the grass and go back upstairs and start some serious apologies. He walked up the stairway when suddenly he spotted Jasmine, carrying a suitcase. "Jasmine! Jasmine!" he called out.

Jasmine looked down to see Harry. She stopped dead. Harry ran up to her. She stood there staring at him.

"Where are you going? You can't leave. Look I paniked.2

"Bye Harry," she replied icily.

She rushed down the stairs, not looking back. Harry rushed after her. "Look, at least explain to me your story."

"I have nothing to say to you."

They'd got to the bottom of the stairs and were going along the corridor. "Come in here," Harry said, pulling Jasmine into a classroom.

"What are you going to do? Kidnap me and send me to Azkaban?" Jasmine said to Harry, but sitting down all the same.

"Tell me, I want to understand."

Jasmine looked up at him, his face so sympathetic.

"Why did you not tell me?" Harry continued.

"I should have told you, I know. But it's not really the sort of thing you say. Oh, hi, I'm Jasmine, by the way my dad's a bloody lunatic who tries to kill me," Harry stifled a smile, "but you still had no right to outright accuse me."

"I know, I know, I was stupid."

"Yeah, you were," she half smiled at him, "I'll tell you, well, I'll try. You deserve to be told. Okay…" she looked around, not sure where to start.

"Salvius was always aggressive toward me. It was as if as soon as I was conceived he hated me. See this," she said, pointing to a scar on her cheek, "this is where he hit me. He used to wear this ring that had jagged edges. And this." She pointed to lots of long white scars along the insides of her fingers, "he forced my hand into a hot iron when he found out I'd… well, that doesn't matter," she was avoiding his eyes. "And this…" she pondered, holding her sleeve. Finally she lifted her sleeve, to reveal on her wrist; below her thumb was a scar of a small star. "I guess he was trying to copy Voldermort," she said, sweeping away his hair.

Harry shivered. Jasmine was still avoiding his eyes, but Harry was glad. "Then one night he came home, and mom told me to hide. So I hid. I was twelve and he came and, well, committed an Unforgivable Curse. I heard him coming to look for me, but I ran. When I got out the house I ran to my Godfather's house, Ethan. I always liked him, we had this bond. Salvius hated the man. I mean, _really _hated him, I have no idea how he became my godfather. I stayed at his until," she looked up at the ceiling, feeling her eyes grow hot, "a couple of months ago. Salvius found me. And, he tried to kill me, but Ethan got in his way, and he killed Ethan. So I . . . came here. Everyone told me it was a bad idea. I guess they were right. But I wanted to meet you Harry, _warn_ you about Salvius. But then everything got messed up and . . . and."

Harry wasn't quite sure what to say. He continued to watch her intently. She was wringing out her hands. "I'll be off then," she said standing up.

"What? No, Jasmine please stay," Harry begged.

"Why? Why should I stay?"

"For me. Stay for me. Jasmine will you go to the ball with me?"

Jasmine stopped and turned. Her eyebrow raised. "Really?" she asked, this definitely wasn't what Harry had expected.

Harry nodded, nervously. She put down her bag. "I don't actually have anywhere to go. Yeah, okay I'll stay. And yeah, I'll go with you."

He walked forward and embraced her tightly. Her felt his chest tighten. "I better go unpack."

She walked out the classroom.

After a few minutes to realise what had just had happened. He started to jump and whoop around the classroom. After deciding that if anyone came in the room, he would look like the biggest prat possible, he went back up to the common room. He was warmly welcomed by Ron and Hermione, who congratulated him. "Nada said yes!" Ron told him.

Harry grinned, "Well done!"

"Hermione you got a date yet?" Ron asked, with a smug grin.

"I have actually," Hermione returned with the same amount of smugness, "Jamie Forsith from Ravenclaw."

"That tall black haired guy?" Harry asked with slight disbelief.

Hermione nodded. "Good on ya', Herm!" Jasmine said, walking up behind them, "he's incredibly cute, and a real gentlemen I've heard."

Harry frowned slightly. Jasmine seeing this said, in a mock serious tone, "well, you know cute in a average to disappointing way."

"We better go decide what to wear," Jasmine said to Hermione," you boys better go sort out your dress robe."

"You do realise the ball's not for another month at least," Ron said in slight disbelief.

"I know, but you don't want you robes creased."

"She has a point."

They wandered off to their dormitories.

"So, what happened?" Ron asked as soon as he and Harry were safely out of earshot.

"Just used some of the old Potter charm."  
Ron raised and eyebrow. "Well, I asked to the ball and we chatted.

"Is that it?"

"What were you expecting?" "Anyway, what happened between you and Nada?"

"Well, I went up to her and asked her to the ball. And, well, she said yes."

"Oh"

A week later was Snape's first meeting of Jasmine. It was a potions lesson on Monday morning. "So, you're the famous Jasmine Bailey?" he said, patronisingly, "seems like we now have two celebrities in our midst, how lucky."

Malfoy sneered. "Hey! Mr and Mrs Potter!"

"Shut up Malfoy," Harry snapped.

"Don't worry, Harry, he's just jealous 'cos I turned him down and he's too ugly and slimy to get a real girlfriend," Jasmine said, with a malicious smile.

Malfoys's mouth opened and closed a few times, obviously speechless, but the effect made him look like a goldfish. "If Gold and Potter are done with their conversations, then we will go on," Snape hissed.

The lesson went a lot quicker than usual. Mainly due to Ron's re-enactments of Malfoys's fish impression. When they walked out the classroom at the end, Malfoy came up to Jasmine and whispered in her ear "did you forget what happened last time?"

She turned swiftly, "yeah, Harry punched you."

"I'll get you, you _and _your boyfriend."

Jasmine smiled and raised an eyebrow. If her eyes didn't hold such malice Harry would have felt turned on.

Malfoy walked off in a strop muttering things under his breathe.

"Harry, I need to talk to you," Jasmine said turning to him.

"Ur, sure, what's wrong?"

_Please dear God don't let her have another date for the Ball._

"Not here," she told him, taking his hand, and rushing off toward the lake.

Harry couldn't ignore the knot he felt in his stomach as he held her hand. He longed to let go, he could feel his palms becoming clammy, but couldn't. He just couldn't let go. It was like a curse.

"Okay," she started, looking round her, "Salvius is back."

"Oh," Harry said, trying to look shocked, but considering the fact that Harry never knew Salvius had gone this was proving hard.

Jasmine frowned, "You need to understand significance of this. This is bad for both of us. If Salvius is back then Voldermort has such a larger chance of defeat. Salvius has connections. Large connections."

Oh, ok, thanks. Wait, did you just say Voldermort?"

"Y-e-a-h," Jasmine said, totally not getting what he ment.

"No, I mean instead of You- Know- Who."

"Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself."

Jasmine sounded so much like Hermione some times it scared him. Or Herm as she was now apparently called. Harry couldn't imagine Hermione with a nickname, it was so unlike Hermione. He could just see her saying "My parents gave me a perfectly good name, thank you."

Over the next couple of weeks Harry really started to notice things about Jasmine that he never did before. Like the way she was stressed about work she would tie her hair back, or how when she didn't agree she would raise an eyebrow.

He wanted to get her something special for Christmas but couldn't think what. So, one day he sneaked off to Palmolive's, Hogsmead's jewellers, and a necklace for her. He'd had the idea in a potions lesson, he would get them to make him a gold necklace with a lightening bolt and a star.

_(Sorry, I know this chapter was long, but I had soooo much to put in. Tell me what you think. And don't worry I don't think any of the other chapters will be quite this long. Also if you want more then REVIEW ME!)_


	4. The Ultimate Xmas

**This chapter is a stepping stone is the H/J thing. **

**Title:**_ Trouble Minds and Desperate Times_

**Main Characters:** _Hermione, Harry, Ron, Draco (in later chapters), Jasmine, and a few others_

**Summary:** _There's a new girl at school, but is she friend or foe? And this time has Harry fallen a little to far in? Dumbledore is still with them and Ron & Hermione are hiding a secret._

**Spoilers:** _Everything. _

**Other:** _Set in the 7th year. Dumbledore is still alive and Harry is forcing himself further and further into the ground. Will the new girl pull him out? Or will she step on his head! The first few chapters are quite short, but then they get longer._

**Disclaimer:** _If you recognise it, it's because it isn't mine. I only own Jasmine and Salvius, and maybe one or two other characters._

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 5**

**The Ultimate Christmas**

Harry and Ron woke up at about the same time. "Presents!" Ron exclaimed.

And both boys scuttled to the bottom of their bed and haled the presents onto their beds. "Ready, steady, go!" they both chanted diving in.

Harry got yet another jumper from Mrs. Weasley, a couple of odd socks from Dobby, a selection of chocolate and joke presents from Ron. From Hermione he got a scarf and gloves, with the message: _You'll be needing these. _

"How weird is this!" Harry said, passing the message to Ron.

"Hmmmm I always knew she was odd in the head!" Ron replied, with an evil glint in his eye.

Harry looked down to find, amidst the empty wrapping paper, there was only a card left. He ripped the envelope off and read:

_Dear Harry,_

_Merry Christmas!_

_Love Jasmine_

_P.S. I'll be giving you your present after breakfast. And bring Hermione's present, you'll be needing it!_

"What's wrong?" Ron asked, seeing Harry's perplexed face.

"Look," Harry said, throwing the card at Ron.

"Ah, maybe Hermione isn't mad. But I have some bad news."

"What?"

"I reckon your girlfriend is."

Harry glared jokingly at Ron. He also had that annoying male thing at hearing the word _girlfriend. "_I reckon we better go downstairs, I'm starved. And I've run out of presents!"

They pulled on clothes and went downstairs to find very few people there. They sat down in the middle of the Gryffindor table. "I've seen these plates somewhere before. English breakfast!" Ron told the plate, and suddenly a full English breakfast appeared.

"Wow, English breakfast," Harry told his plate.

Just like Ron's and English breakfast appeared.

"Merry Christmas!" Ron and Harry turned to see Jasmine and Hermione, both grinning from ear to ear.

Jasmine was wearing the necklace, "I love the present!" she said, and kissed Harry on the cheek.

Immediately butterflies erupted in his stomach. He turned to Hermione, who looked different in some way. Instead of her normal, pretty grubby trainers she was wearing midnight blue pumps and had a hair slide in, that grasped her hair back and somehow made it look a heck of a lot less bushy.

They all sat down and ate, while trying to interrogate Hermione and Jasmine into telling them what Harry's present was about.

"Right, you need to put everything on this list in a rucksack and I'll meet you in the hall at eight fifty. Glückliches Weihnachten!"

"Huh?"

"Navidad feliz."

She was greeted by two vacant stares and a smug Hermione. "Natale felice!" she told them, "Joyeux Noël!"

"Ahhh… Merry Christmas!" Harry said, but Ron still looked rather like a rabbit in the headlights.

Harry looked down at the list:

_Gloves,_

_Scarf,_

_Long, thick socks,_

_A coat,_

_Wear comfortable shoes and clothes._

_See you at eight fifty!_

Harry and Ron went round the dormitory collecting these items. "I reckon she's kidnapping you and taking you to the North Pole," Ron said, with such a deep pan voice that Harry burst out laughing.

"Oh, it's quarter to; I better go, see you later. I hope at least!"

Harry walked off to the entrance hall. Jasmine was already there. She was leaning against the wall, wearing a blue polo shirt, Harry's necklace, jeans, Converse and a long fitted coat. "Ready?" she asked, looking up at him.

Harry nodded, "right, follow me."

They walked through the doors, "we need to get out of Hogwarts so we can apparate."

"Where to?" he asked her, hoping that maybe she would tell him.

"Ah, now that would be telling!"

They walked for about fifteen more minutes. "Hold my hand, I'll apparate us, as you have no idea where we're going."

Suddenly they were lifted off the ground and forced into a small, from what Harry could tell, dressing room. "Where _are _we? Harry asked looking round. He caught a look of himself in the mirror and automatically tried to flatten his hair.

"Ralph Lauren." Jasmine replied.

"Isn't that a designer?" Harry said, once remembering Uncle Vernon showing off because he'd bought a shirt from there, wore it for weeks _Wana get my money's worth don't I_ he'd said when questioned. "Yeah, the owner of this branch is a wizard and he owes me a quite a few favours. We better go find him," Jasmine said, pulling back the curtain and walking out.

Harry followed her. Then suddenly from behind them someone said, "Jas! How are you darling?"

Harry and Jasmine turned to find an older looking man with greyish hair. He was very well dressed and smiling at both of them. The man stepped forward and kissed Jasmine on both cheeks. "Thomas, how are you? You look well. Oh gosh, not another pair of Guccis?" Jasmine said.

"Well, you know me, not getting any younger! Loafers are my babies. So, who's the boyfriend?" Thomas asked, turning to Harry, "my God! Harry Potter! Jasmine you didn't tell me you were going out with Mr. Potter?"

Jasmine looked unsure what to say. She looked up at him and smiled, "you always were a big man with the names. One day you'll learn that there's more than that."

Thomas raised his eyebrows. "I doubt it; I have an eye for Harrods and a bank account of Woolworths. You remember how much you used to annoy Isabella, with all your deep stuff. You really brought the meaning to 'not just a pretty face.'

"Eugh, I couldn't stand her. If you weren't talking about shoes she couldn't care less," she turned to Harry, "Isabella and I were forced to do a lot of jobs together. You see we made an interesting look apparently. I was the tall, dark, deep one and she was the petite peroxide queen with the intellect of a fish. Oh, and the emotional capacity too. She had more men than there were days!"

"You never did like each other. But, you've had your fair share of men! Sorry Harry, nice to meet you," Thomas said, shaking his hand, "right well what will it be today? There's a new collection in the store Jas."  
"Thanks Thomas, but we're here for Harry. Will you be okay with Thomas for like, 20 minutes?"  
Harry nodded. "Right, we'll be fine, luckily for you Ralph took a liking to you! Let's you take what you want!" Thomas said.

"See you soon!" Jasmine waved, walking away.

"Harry there's something I'd like to show you before we begin," Thomas told Harry and they both stepped into an elevator, "Harry I expect you think Jasmine is pretty good- looking."

"Er… yes," Harry said, wondering if this was a trick question.

Thomas continued, "Well you see she if my muse. I am being modest on her behalf. Harry what I am trying to say is that she is very important.

Harry frowned, wondering if he'd been left with some sort of mad man.

They walked into, what looked like the entrance to the shop. Harry looked around. Suddenly he realised that all the walls were covered by enormous photos of Jasmine. Harry had thought she was very pretty, but in these photos she looked beyond stunning. In the middle of the shop, above the counter, was a monochrome photo that stood out the most. Her eyes looked very dark. She was sitting on the floor, with crossed legs and leaning forward. Her hair was loosely tied and she was smiling gently. She was wearing a dark dress that was tight round her waist and puffed out like a ballerina skirt from her hips. "I don't understand," Harry said at last.

"See, the thing is. Jas is a very important asset to me. And I'd lose a lot of money if she, say, _died_."

"I'm not a murderer if that's what you're insinuating."

"No, I know, I just don't want you putting thoughts into her head that she can defeat Salvius. Miss. Bailey has a certain way of finding trouble when even she's not looking for it."

"Oh… okay."

"Good. Well, I'm glad we sorted that out," his face morphed into a smile, "now let's go get us sorted."

They walked off to the men's area of the shop. "You're free to roam around."

Ten minutes later and Harry was once again in the dressing room. He was trying on various clothing items and starring at himself in the mirror. "Harry, you in here?" he heard Jasmine call.

He opened the curtain and walked out. "Gosh! I love the look. Suits you!" she walked over to him so they were both viable in the mirror.

She grinned at him and he couldn't help but grin back. "Right, what am I getting you then?"

"Oh… isn't this gonna cost you loads?"

"No, not at all. When you're the face of a designer you get a lot of stuff free. They like the advertising."

"Any scents?" Thomas asked, suddenly appearing.

"Sounds good." Jasmine said, and both her and Harry reached forward to pick up a bottle each from a tray Thomas was holding.

"Good choice."

"Thanks Thomas, this was really kind of you, being Christmas and all."

"Don't worry about it, anything for you babe."

"Come on Harry, we have a train to catch." Jasmine told him and they walked off clutching their bags.

Harry, after finding out that the clothes were free had salvaged most of the men's department. But who could blame him after years of Dudley's hand-me-downs. "Right, I thought that we should do London the non-magical way today, so we're catching a train," Jasmine told Harry, as they walked into the underground.

Harry would never have said it out loud, but the idea of going on the underground seemed pretty cool. He remembered how Dudley had rubbed it in his face how he wasn't allowed.

They bought their tickets and got on the train, which was virtually empty. They sat for a few minutes talking, when Harry suddenly exclaimed, "We actually _are_ underground!"

Jasmine laughed, "Yep, why did you think it was called the Underground?"

"Err, I guess I thought it was just a name."

_Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, that sounded so stupid! _He looked over at Jasmine, but she seemed to be grinning at him, "What?" he asked, laughing slightly.

"You're kinda cute," she smiled.

Hmm… he wasn't sure if he wanted to be cute. But if she found his awkward geekiness endearing then he guessed that was good. "Oh, here's our stop."

The train came to a halt, and they both got off. "The thing is, as we're going to miss lunch at school, I thought we could go out for some."

They sat down at a table next to the window, with a stunning view over London. A waiter came up and they both ordered a Christmas Lunch. Harry couldn't help but notice the stutter of the waiter as he spoke to Jasmine. Or the way she got looks everywhere they'd been. Somehow she seemed completely oblivious to this. "So…urm…what do you get in a Christmas dinner?" Jasmine asked timidly.

"You've _never _had a Christmas dinner before!" Harry said a little too incredulously.

"No, I've never really had a Christmas before. Well, mother tried but I'd just end up in my room and they never got any presents."

"What about your Godfather?"

"It wasn't a good time of year for him. I wasn't even allowed to mention Christmas."

It was weird. At that moment he felt closer to Jasmine then he'd ever felt to anyone before. Three months ago Harry felt like the person in the world who understood what he was going through. Like in Harry's fifth year when he was kept at the Dursley's and he had no idea what was going on. He found this so unfair that he couldn't explain. Hadn't it not been him who had saved the Philosopher's stone? Had it not been him who had killed the Basilisk in the Chamber? Had it not been him who was forced to go through with the Tri-wizard Tournament? But, now, here was Jasmine. She had to fight off Salvius every year, like clockwork, as did he with Voldermort, but she'd never had the help of Hermione or Ron. Or the guidance of Dumbledore. "I heard all about the Tri- wizard tournament. You must have been so brave," Jasmine said, smiling up at him.

Harry smiled back, trying to be modest, but failing quite miserably. Jasmine had said he was brave. Maybe he could forgive her for the 'cute' thing earlier. When, suddenly, their food arrived. There was tons of it. It spread all across the table. There was everything you could imagine. Harry looked across the table in amazement. He heard Jasmine laugh. "What?"

"Your face, you look so amazed."

Harry had liked Cho but he'd spent a lot of time feeling guilty or stupid when he was with her. But with Jasmine he felt different. She liked him _with _all the stupid things he did. "Tuck in," Harry exclaimed.

They both dived in. "I can't wait until we learn the Circide Charm!" Jasmine told Harry.

"The Circide Charm?"

"Yeah, you basically electrocute your opponent."

"Ah, sounds like fun."

They didn't talk much for the rest of the meal as they both seemed pretty adamant on eating as much as they can in as shorter time as possible. Sounds like Christmas. They both took a last mouthful and sat back in their chairs. "I'll get the bill."

She called over the waiter and he brought the bill. "I'll get this," Harry said, reaching for the bill.

"No way, this is my treat."  
"At least let me pay half."  
"Nope."  
"But-"

"No buts, anyway I bet you don't have any pounds on you."

"Hmmm good point I only have you-know-what-money."  
"You've met your match Harry Potter," Jasmine smiled, in a fake superhero voice.

When they walked out the restaurant it was already getting dark. "How we getting home?" Harry asked.

"Same way as we came, but not yet. We've still got the best to come," she said, smiling cheekily at him.

They got back on a train. "Are you kidnapping me this time?"

"Maybe," she grinned.

Harry's stomach made the familiar twist when she grinned.

They got off the train and came back above ground. All the street lamps where now on. They walked through St. James square and walked down some stairs. Suddenly, Jasmine put her hands over Harry's eyes. "Woah, what are you doing?" Harry asked, panicking slightly.

"Calm down dear! I just want our last stop to be a surprise," she replied coolly.

She guided him for a few minutes and then stopped. "3…2…1, open your eyes," Jasmine said, taking her hands away. Harry hesitated and then slowly opened his eyes. In front of him was basically, a large area of ice. "I thought you said no magic?" Harry asked confused.

"This isn't magic; I… er…used to date the owner. You ever been ice- skating?"

_Ohhhh, that's what they were doing. _"Wow, that's a lot cooler then I thought. But, no I haven't."

"I'm kinda glad. It'll be fun to teach you. Let's go find Johnny. Hey Johnny!"

There was a small semi- permanent building that they walked into. And behind it was an amazing castle- like building, apparently the Natural History Museum. They walked into a room; containing a dozen benches, a counter and behind that, lots of shelves, containing boots. "Jas! You're here! With your _little _boyfriend," a tall man with broad shoulders said, placing far too much emphasis on the word little. The man had similar features to Harry, dark hair green eyes, but somehow was more handsome. His hair was slightly shorter than Harry's and although his build was broad he was shorter than Harry and just a tiny bit taller than Jasmine. But the thing which made Harry feel most down-hearted was the fact that the man looked at least 25. "Hi," Harry said weakly, shaking the man's hand.

"It's most unlike you to date someone so young," Johnny said to Jasmine, "But I guess it is Harry Potter."

Jasmine's eyebrow raised and she was staring at him with a glint in her eye. "I wish people would stop saying that! And anyway Harry's the same age as me."

"No, but Jas, darling, you don't look that way."

"Oh, but Johnny, _darling _I dated you, even though you are vertically challenged."HHHuigiu giugiu gigHuicw

To Harry's surprise Johnny actually laughed. "Haha I guess you have moved up the totem pole."

"Right, now, could you give us the keys. I don't think we need you anymore. And I wouldn't want to keep you," Jasmine said to Harry's great satisfaction.

Johnny walked off and Harry and Jasmine were alone. "Stay here," she said to Harry and disappeared behind the counter.

She reappeared with a pair of ice- skates. "What size feet do you have?"

"Er… size eleven."

Jasmine smiled. "No need to be all manly, size 9, right?"

"Yeah," he replied sheepishly.

She then disappeared again and came back with another pair of ice- skates and then came back to his side of the counter. "This is when you need the stuff in your bag."

"I completely forgot about that."

Harry pulled his socks and ice-skates on. "I know it sounds stupid, but I'll do them up for you," Jasmine said kneeling next to Harry.

She stood up and hoisted Harry up. He stumbled. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it. Oh, yeah, could you put the rest of your stuff on and go through that door; I'll be back in a minute."

He did as he was told and went out the door, which lead him outside to the ice rink. He looked up at the trees, no sooner had he done this but they completely light up. They were covered from root to the ends of the branches in fairy lights. It was spectacular and Harry had to say, quite romantic. He had long forgotten about Johnny. Jasmine came striding through the doors, not stumbling once in the clumpy ice- skating boots. She took his hand and led him onto the ice. He reluctantly stepped on. As soon as his feet touched the ice he felt as if he no longer had control over them. "Hold onto the side, I'm just going to get the feeling back."

Jasmine skated to the middle. If Harry was honest, he could have happily stayed where he was watching her glide gracefully back and forth. She made it look so easy. She jumped and span without even so much as blinking. "Show off," he smiled.

"I've still got a long way to go. Actually I think we need something else."

She pulled her wand out of her pocket, "Datan Musique."

Music started playing from somewhere above them. She skated over to him. "Right, bend your knees slightly, good. Now try not to let your feet get too close together."

She took him firmly by the waist. He inhaled sharply. "Ready, bambi?" she asked.

"Sure," he croaked.

She started to skate backwards. He really did feel like Bambi. He remembered watching _Bambi _while he was pretending to make dinner. He remembered it well, especially after _Dudders _started crying at the end!

Then, suddenly, he started to feel his feet. "Excellent," she told him, letting go off his waist and he managed to skate, quite well on his own. "Hmmm…we need a little something," Jasmine said, lifting her wand out of her jeans, "Appero mistletoe."

Between them mistletoe appeared. Harry tried to skate forward but ended up falling, luckily, straight into her arms. She laughed and pulled him back up. He gave her a lop-sided grin and leaned towards her, kissing her softly on the lips. They broke and she said, "Mmm…I'm going to teach you to spin before we leave."

It took Harry another 20 minutes but he managed it. "This is amazing! Almost as good as riding my broom," Harry said, after performing another, very good spin.

"It's a great feeling, gliding across the ice."

She jumped into the air. "But, I agree I prefer the broom. I used to play Quidditch with Ethan."

She took Harry by the hands and spun him round. "This day has been so great."

"Good, I'm glad you enjoyed it. We better go back soon, it's almost, oh God! It's half nine, much longer and they'll lock the gates, we've been here for hours."

By the time they apparated back to the outskirts of Hogwarts it was ten o'clock. They used magic to get their brooms and flew back to school and then they went up to the Gryffindor common room, strangely it was empty. There was probably something going on in the main hall.

"God I'm tired," Jasmine said lying across a sofa.

"Me too," Harry said, lying down on a sofa opposite.

Jasmine turned so she could see Harry. Harry turned too. But, unfortunately fell straight off. "Damn," he muttered, about to get up.

"No, stay there," Jasmine said, rolling off to join him.

They moved closer together, just lying there for a few minutes. Harry could feel Jasmine's hot breath on his face. They leaned in to kiss. They lay there for at least 5 minutes, until they heard someone coming down the stairs from the boy's dormitory. Harry and Jasmine sprung to their feet, just in time to see Hermione and Ron coming down the stairs. "I thought I heard you guys come back," Hermione told them, "Harry, are you wearing lip gloss?" and she looked at Jasmine, "oh, right," she said, looking bemused.

"You had a good time then!" Ron said.

"Ron!" Hermione said, smacking him on the arm.

"So, did you really enjoy putting knife blades on the bottom of boats and then trying to balance on ice?"  
"Yeah, it was good," Harry grinned, "I'm quite tired though, aren't you _Jas _?"

"Ugh, don't. It was nickname Isabella made up, she knew I hated it so got everyone to call me it. I got her back though. I found out her mom calls her Baby Bella, so pretty soon so was most of the fashioning world!" Jasmine said with a satisfied grin.

"I'm tired too actually," Ron told them, and they all wondered to their dorms.


	5. The Boxing Day Ball

**Thank you for the reviews, i really apprecicate them. This chapter is really a calm before the storm enjoy... or not... just review whatever you think.**

**Title:**_ Trouble Minds and Desperate Times_

**Main Characters:** _Hermione, Harry, Ron, Draco (in later chapters), Jasmine, and a few others_

**Summary:** _There's a new girl at school, but is she friend or foe? And this time has Harry fallen a little to far in? Dumbledore is still with them and Ron & Hermione are hiding a secret._

**Spoilers:** _Everything. _

**Other:** _Set in the 7th year. Dumbledore is still alive and Harry is forcing himself further and further into the ground. Will the new girl pull him out? Or will she step on his head! The first few chapters are quite short, but then they get longer._

**Disclaimer:** _If you recognise it, it's because it isn't mine._

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**The Boxing Day Ball**

Harry woke to find it was already ten o'clock. He swore under his breath- he'd missed breakfast. He sat up in his bed, thinking about the day before. And then realising, to his slight horror, that today was Boxing Day, which in turn meant the Boxing Day Ball. He smirked to himself. He knew today would be better then the last ball had been. Mainly because this time he'd got a date that he actually likes. Oh, and the fact that there were no dragons involved. He got dressed, and when he reached for his socks, he found the pair that Dobby had got him for Christmas. And it occurred to him that he could simply go to ask the house elves for food.

Harry wasn't given a very warm welcome into the kitchen, because once Hermione had dragged Ron and himself down there for her S.P.E.W campaign. Let's just say the house elves weren't too pleased about Hermione asking them if they wanted to be freed. Harry soon found Dobby, thanks to the enormous pile of hats he was wearing. "Oh, hello Harry Potter, sir! Is there anything I can do for sir?"

"Yeah, thanks Dobby, I missed breakfast and was wondering if you could maybe make me something."

"Hmm…scrambled egg on toast, please"  
"And a bagel, please," said a familiar voice behind him.

Harry turned round to see Jasmine, "You sleep in too?"

"Yeah," she replied, "plus you're fan club told me you'd be here."

"My what!"

"Haven't you noticed the fourth year girls that follow you round? Oh, what do they call themselves again? I remember, Hero Harry Fan Base- for everything to do with 'The Boy Who Lived'. Lucky you!" she said, grinning.

Harry looked at her incredulously, "You are joking, right?" his voice incredibly high-pitched.

Jasmine stifled a smile and pretended to look sombre "Fraid not, hun. You better watch your back. Mind you, saying that, so had I, I've never had such dreadful looks then from them. Watch what you eat, they'll get you any way you can"

Harry could only recall a few times when Jasmine had eaten in the Great Hall. "You don't like to eat in the Hall do you?"

"No, well, when I went to primary school, which included wizards they found out about me being Salvius's daughter and tried to poison me. I find it hard to eat food that I haven't prepared myself, or at least seen someone else prepare. I got in a hell of a lot of trouble that day."

"Why? They poisoned _you_!"

"Yeah, I know but to stop myself from dieing I had to perform spells in front of muggles, plus I was underage."

Jasmine looked down, wringing her hands.

It was obvious that she had taken what had happened really to heart. Harry couldn't believe a primary school kid would do that. But then, he remembered how he'd reacted to finding out her secret. Harry's stomach squirmed. He hated all the starring and being called 'The Chosen One', but at least he'd never been called a Death Eater. "Sir, Miss, here is your breakfast," Dobby told them, holding up two plates.

"Thanks."

They walked back to the common room, "sorry," Harry said/

"What for?" Jasmine asked, confused.

"For, for what those people did to you, poisoning your food. That's awful, I mean, all those people judging you because of-"

"Harry, Harry, it's ok," Jasmine interrupted him.

But Harry was still fuming. "Bloombury," he spat at the Fat Lady and she swung open.

Harry and Jasmine sat down in a sofa together. They ate their breakfast without saying much. "Hey, what time does the Ball start?" Jasmine asked.

"Urm… well, we have to go to the hall at three."  
"Okay, I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall at three thirty."

Harry, at first thought that maybe she'd misheard him, but then he remembered the plight of social etiquette and being fashionably late. !"Oh gosh, it's already eleven," she said.

"You need four and a half hours to get ready!"

"Not just me, I'm doing Hermione as well."  
Harry laughed, "Hm can I watch."  
She scowled and hit him on the arm, hard. He pretended that it didn't hurt and grinned back. "I mean I'm getting her ready as well. I wonder where she's got to."  
Hermione and Ron came through the portrait hole. "Oh, Hermione, I was just wondering where you'd got to. We need to start getting ready."

Hermione looked shocked, "But, but, it's only eleven o'clock."  
"I know, but we both need to be showered and it takes at least an hour and a half if not two to do just me, and for both of us it's gonna take must longer," Jasmine replied, looking almost panic-stricken.

"Oh, I'll go have a shower," Hermione replied, rushing off.

Ron and Harry burst out laughing as soon as the two girls were out of earshot. "Oh my God! I wonder if Hermione knows what she's got herself in for." Harry said, still laughing.

"So, how long do you take to get ready?" Ron asked.

"Ten minutes, including shower maybe twenty. But, then again I'm taking Jasmine so an hour."  
"Hmmm… yeah, lucky bugger."  
"So how's it going between you and Nada?" Harry asked.

"Well, I'm not sure. I haven't really seen her. I've been given a ton of work off Slughorn. I better go and do that."

_That was odd. _Harry looked round, the practically empty common room, not sure what to do. He really didn't fell like homework, so he just sat there.

Ron finally emerged. "Hey Harry, we've got about an hour left."  
"Okay, come on, we better get ready."

They both went up to the dormitory and started to get ready. Ron pulled out his dress robes, the ones that Harry had paid for, even though Ron had no idea about this.

"Mmmm," Ron murmured approvingly, looking at his reflection in the mirror.

"You nervous?" Harry asked, trying in vain to flatten his hair.

"Urm… not really."

"Just me then."

To Harry's surprise Ron didn't laugh. What he said next showed real friendship, as it would have been so easy to just laugh. "Hey, mate, you'll be fine. She really like you, you know, I've seen the way she looks at you. Don't worry."

"But, people don't know about us yet and I'm just worried that something's gonna go wrong."

"Oh yeah how did you guys keep your relationship so quiet?"

"Easy, you just don't kiss in public. People just assume you're friends or that you haven't actually admitted to each other that you like them."

"Yeah, I guess, but to be honest it's not _you _that should be worried."

"What do you mean?"

"Well don't you think all the guys are going to pat you on the back? I mean you are with, ahem, _the _hottest girl in the wizarding community. The only problem is; why is she going out with you?"

Harry laughed. He had to hand it to Ron; he had a brilliant way of cheering people up. Harry glanced down at his watch, "Oh God, ten minutes left."

"It's fine, we're both ready."  
They both sat down on Harry's bed. Harry felt butterflies erupt in his stomach. After about five minutes of awkward silence they both headed downstairs. They wondered down to the entrance and waited at the bottom of the stairs. Harry felt like Dementors would have been an easier route, but hey-ho. Harry turned to see Jamie Forsith, Hermione's date. He was slightly shorter than Harry, but undoubtedly handsome, with the sort of hair that never stood up, and perfect grades. "Hi, Jamie, you waiting for Hermione?"

"Yeah, oh my gosh!" Jamie replied looking up the stairs. Hermione had appeared. Her hair was down, but it wasn't bushy, it was elegantly wavy. She was wearing a red dress, with thin straps and it came out at the waist, where a ribbon was tied. Harry looked at Ron standing next to him, his mouth wide open. "I've got to errrr… go meet urm… meet…"

"Nada?"

"Yeah, Nada." Ron muttered, grudgingly.

Harry looked back up the stairs and gasped. Jasmine was standing at the top of the stairs. She was wearing a jade green dress, matching sling backs and looked stunning. Her eyes looked beautifully outlined and her hair was tied loosely back and into a side parting so she had a slight fringe. But the best thing was beyond doubt the way her face lit up when she spotted him. "You look stunning," he told her.

She grinned at him "Thanks, you look great, I love these cloaks, really manly."

A couple of giggling girls groaned and talked off when Harry took Jasmine's arm. "You ready for our coming out?" Harry asked.

"Ha, you make it sound like we're a gay couple."

Harry looked shocked. "Oh, I, er, didn't mean…"

Jasmine kissed him on the cheek and he stopped. "Come on."

She took the door handle, paused and then slowly opened the door.

People started whispering. There had been many questions about who Jasmine and Harry were going to go with. Most people actually stopped dancing to look at them. Jasmine grinned cheekily up at Harry and whispered in his ear, "Let's give them something to look at, I've done a few courses in the old ballroom dance thing."

She took both of his hands. "But, I haven't" he replied feebly.

"Don't worry you don't need to be."

But Harry didn't feel so sure. She bowed and he did the same, they started to move and he felt himself moving too. Harry had to say, they were actually quite good. People actually gasped a couple of times. Jasmine spun and whispered, "Catch me."

She lent backwards and he caught her just in time. He held her there for a few seconds, just starring down at her, and then kissed her with a long lingering kiss. And then he pulled her back up. To their utter amazement people around them started to clap. They hadn't noticed while they had been dancing, but people had formed a circle round them. Harry saw Ron on the outside of circle, not looking too happy as he looked on Hermione and Jamie, but Nada seemed blissfully unaware. "I'm just going to say hi to Hermione. I suggest you go to tell Ron to stop looking so surly, because he may soon be slapped."  
"Sure, I'll meet you by the drinks."

Jasmine nodded and walked over to Hermione. "Hey Herm, hi Jamie, would you mind if I borrowed Hermione for a second?"

Jamie, who was starring intently at Jasmine nodded. "It's working," Jasmine said to Hermione when they were out of Jamie's earshot.

"Huh?" Hermione replied, trying to look innocent/.

"Ron, he looked so jealous!"

"I don't know what you mean," Hermione replied, but she didn't even try to hide the coy smile on her face.

"Come off it, I know that you fancy Ron and he fancies you."

"Do you really think he does?"

"Hey, can we dance?" Jamie asked as he appeared.

Jasmine winked and walked off.

Harry was waiting at the drinks table when Jasmine got there. "Shall we sit down for a minute?" Harry asked, his feet hurting slightly from the dance.

"Sure."

They found a table near the back of the room and sat down. Suddenly there was a voice from behind them. "Ah, Harry, I was hoping to catch up with you," Harry turned to see Dumbledore staring down at them.

Dumbledore looked at Harry and then at Jasmine. "Hello Jasmine, I hope you don't mind, this won't take long."

Jasmine looked slightly taken aback, "Oh, er, of course."

She stood up and walked towards the dance floor. To Harry's great disappointment he saw her start dancing with Angus Freewood, a very tall seventh- year that looked a hell of a lot like Cedric Diggory. Harry couldn't help but smile at the irony of how people like him always seemed to get his girl. "Harry, I was wondering if you would come to my office on 13th February. It's really very important."

_Jesus, that's a long time away. _"Yes, fine."  
"Good, good, enjoy yourself Harry. And please be careful," Dumbledore gave a nod towards Jasmine.

And with that he walked away. Harry searched his mind, what had Dumbledore meant? Be careful?Harry, slowly, walked back over to Jasmine, his mind whirling, "Oh hey _babe_," Jasmine said, seeing Harry and breaking away from Angus.

Harry looked confused. He didn't think she had ever called him babe before. She walked over to him, taking his hand and kissed him hard on the lips for a good few minutes. Slowly, an uncomfortable and rather jealous Angus wondered off. "Sorry," Jasmine said, breaking away.

"For what?"

"For, well, the whole babe thing and kissing you in front of Angus. Let's just say the guy can't take a hint and stares intently at about eight inches south of where he should be looking."

It took Harry a few minutes to get what she was saying. He smiled, but was annoyed that he'd let that man dance with her.


End file.
